Fisherman (1)

1 In an afternoon of spring, it was warm and blossoming. Confucius took his disciples to a bank for tour. He played Qin (musical instrument) under a tree while some of his disciples read, some chatted and some basked.

2 When Confucius played Qin, a fisherman paddled his boat to the bank and stepped down to sit on a stone. White hair, rosy cheek, loose clothes waving in the wind, he listened attentively to the music by Confucius. With left hand hugged his knee and right hand supported his chin; he looked as if he could understand the player’s mind in the rise and fall of music.

3 After Confucius finished his playing, the fisherman waved to Zigong and Zilu who were beside him. Pointing to Confucius, he asked them quietly, “Who is the Sir?”

4 Zilu answered, “He is a tourist from the State of Lu.” The fisherman asked, “What is his name? Which pedigree is he from?”

5 Zilu answered, “His name is Confucius.” The old fisherman asked again, “Where is his prefecture?”

6 Zilu thought that he was re-ripping old sore of his teacher who had been traveling around in order to attain a position to exert his expertise. What makes him vex most was that he still was a common man. How did he own prefecture without a position? Turning away, Zilu didn’t reply him.

7 With a quicker response, Zigong told the old fisherman, “He is our teacher. He is loyal, creditable, benevolent and righteous. He devotes his life to establish and perfect etiquette, music and human relations. Being loyal to the king, teaching common people, he applies himself to make out an ideal living environment for all people. This is what he does.”

8 The old fisherman was still unsatisfied with the answer. He added, “All peers have their prefecture. Where is his?”

9 Zigong couldn’t ward off this embarrassing question, he said, “Our teacher has no prefecture until now.”

10 The old fisherman asked again, “Is he an adviser?”

11 “No.” Zigong said.

12 Shaking his head and smiling, the older fisherman stood up and was intent to go to his boat. He said to Zigong, “Judging from your teacher’s play, I know that he is a man of benevolence and love. He aspires to do a great cause, but such an ambition is very dangerous. If he has a certain official position, he may be welcome. But if he doesn’t have, he will be regarded to have the ambition of unification. Thus how does the authority cooperate with him? I am afraid that the persons of regime would exclude him by all means.

13 What your teacher practice is Tao of gifts from nature but what he thinks is worldly cause and glory. He is painstaking with his ambition in purchasing of the worldly cause and glory, which will disturb his soundness, tranquility and peace. The contradictive practice is unwise, which may make him lose both of practice and cause purchasing.”

14 After finishing his words, he started to step on boat. Confucius had already noticed the stranger. When he left, Confucius asked Zigong, “Who is he? What did you talk?”

15 Zigong retailed the talk in full details. Hearing that, Confucius pushed away his Qin and stood up. He thought aloud, “He must be a great and advanced man.”

16 Thinking this, he walked to the dock on the river bank. The old fisherman was ready to start, holding barge pole. Seeing Confucius coming up and intending to speak to him, the old fisherman stopped and stood on the boat. Confucius held up two hands and retreated some steps. And then he made a very low bow to him. He stepped forward and stood on the bank. The old fisherman naturally accepted his solute. He asked, “What do you want to ask?”

17 Confucius made a bow again. He said, “What you said to my disciples just now seems incomplete. I am too dull to understand what you have said. May I take liberty to ask you to give me detail explanation?”

18 The old fisherman was very satisfied with his modest attitude. He smiled, “Very good! Old as you are, you are so studious. It is worth praising.”

19 Hearing what the old man said, Confucius knelt down without any hesitation and kowtowed three times on the wet ground. It was seen as a ceremony of inviting teaching. After kowtow, he stood up and said, “When I was young, I persevered in studies. Now I am sixty-nine but feel it pitiful that I still haven’t found the truth that I am satisfied with. Due to this, I am waiting for great teacher’s directing, with reverence and awe. I really expect him to lead me to the right way of study.”

20 Taking a nod, the old fisherman sat on the boat and said to Confucius, who standing on the bank. “Things of the same kind cluster, while sounds of the same frequency harmonize. Thus their interests and ways accord with each other. Your culture is different from the governors’, so you can’t stay with them. It is normal that you have failed in your cause in the past years.

21 Now, let me analyze your past life! What you wanted to do in the past was all in the political field in which there are four classes: Emperor, marquis, official and the common people. If the four classes could strictly abide by their rules and accomplish their duties so as to play their real role in the society, then society would surely be well governed.

22 If people executed beyond their duties and breached their rules, everybody spoke but nobody did, then the society would go into mess.

23 Hence, when you work for politics, you manage to make official abide by the rule and to make people do well their own work. That’s all.

24 The problems of common people are: nobody plows so field obsoletes; house becomes shabby, not shading in sunny days, not shielding in rainy day; food and clothes are not enough; due tax is not afforded to pay; discord of mother in law and daughter in law happens in family, the old relentless, the young not filial.

25 The problems of common official are: their incompetence to his position, such as diplomat lacking ability of communication and martial official who can’t use weapon. The other problem is failure to accomplish his duty, such as police patrolling sparsely; fireman who can’t be on duty around clock, municipal official has no foresight in city planning so that traffic jam and river pollution happens.

26 Official is selfish. He makes use of his power to feather his nest. Higher official do a bad leadership. He gives loose to his underlings who do evil and are remiss in their duties. He doesn’t praise the underlings who have credit and doesn’t encourage people to be good officials and do well. These conducts make official lose the feeling of honor to the position. For this reason, young man was reluctant to work as official. No talent enters government; it is natural that government can’t do well.

27 The problem of local leaders, such as marquis is that they have difficulty in governance because officials of central government are corruptive; law is perverted; local people are extorted.

28 When a country gets down and out, enemies outside invade it and bandits inside stir it. All industries go stagnant. Local leaders’ ability is too limited to save the situation. Local government lacks talents and young people loathe service on grass-root level, which makes local government play no role. On the other hand, local insufficient production begets failure in meeting the central governmental requirement of tax. Central government hence, feels discontented. Failure in gearing with central policy causes doubt of central government. Local leader however, can’t remove the doubt in time. Doubt accumulation gives them the notoriousness that they neglect central's direction. Under this condition, of course, it is difficult to be a local leader.

29 The problem of Emperor is bad weather and frequent disasters, such as typhoon, earthquake and plague, which take a heavy toll of people’s wealth and life. The other problem is that local official’s reputation overrides emperor’s, so he is out of control by emperor. Prefectures scramble for right and interest, which produces conflict one after another, makes people have no means to live and all industries get obsolete. People do what as they want. Etiquette and music lose their rules. King craves for greatness and success, launching continuous wars, which makes treasury exhausted and society messed. King is not like king; minister is not like minister; father is not like father and son is not like son. Whole society breaks down. Nobody can control the situation and make decision. Family breaks down too. Young men lose hotbed of cultivation. Power becomes too sparse to gather so that great work can't be accomplished, because social system is broken and there are no good leaders and underlings. People pamper themselves for lust. They prefer enjoyment instead of work. Thus the state power withers.

30 The said is the politics that I know. Now, you seemingly have no king or marquis to serve; have no position, such as minister. You are a common people but you make bold to establish rules of etiquette and music. What’s more, you enroll a lot of young men and teach them how to work in official position, expecting them to serve hometown someday. Don’t you meddle?

31 In my opinion, these are work that government should do. You make bold to do them. Other people would reproach and doubt your intention.

32 I tell you that common people have eight vices. Living in society, people should beware of four taboos.

33 To mind other people’s business is arrogation.

34 To give admonishment forcefully despite the other’s attitude is sycophancy.

35 To humble one to cater for listener by flattering words is toady.

36 To focus on private interest and to neglect justice in discussion is flattery.

37 To speak maliciously about others is slandering.

38 To foment dissensions to make friction is instigation.

39 To agree on and even praise the conduct of obvious fraud intentionally is malice. Only foe or friend not right or wrong is considered.

40 To court favors from all sides and to grab personal gains in secret is malignancy.

41 The said eight vices could cause social mess if they were employed to deal in environment. They would damage health if they were employed to deal in practice. A man of virtue never approaches them; a king never appoints them.

42 The four iniquities are followings: the first one is greed that is to administrate the state affairs flatulently and to change the norms at random to make out some new ideas to claim credit.

43 To count on one’s expertise or position to make arbitrary decisions and to trespass other’s interest for private interest is avarice.

44 To make more mistakes against other’s reminding because of private interest and saving face is obstinacy. What’s more, correction is never done.

45 To assent to the agreeable and to object to the disagreeable because of different party, sects and group is conceit. Though the idea is good and right, there is no agreement on it.

46 He who can eliminate the eight defects and keep carefully away from the four taboos is qualified to be taught. If not, then, don’t enroll him as student, otherwise, the teacher will ask for trouble by himself.”

47 Hearing that, Confucius felt shameful and signed. He thought that I was proud of myself having many students from every where of the country. Now I know that if I don’t select carefully in accepting them, there would be sequela, and it would eventually back fire to me.

48 Feeling gratefully, Confucius made a salute. He stood up and asked the old fisherman. “I am kind to do something for people, but I never receive good response. What’s more I was banished twice by the State of Lu, stopped by the State of Wei, insulted in the State of Song, and stay in danger between Chen and Cai. I don’t know what error I’ve made so that misfortune always befalls me.”

49 Shaking his head, the old fisherman said, “I’ve told you a lot. But you still don’t understand it. You get old, and your mind is stiff. Well! Let me explain it in other view.

50 A man fears his shadow and detests his footmark. In order to ward off shadow and footmark, he bustles in running. The more circles he runs, the more footmarks left. Shadow also follows him. He thinks that he runs slowly so that he can’t throw off shadow and footmark. So, he runs faster and faster. At last he dies from exhaustion of energy.

51 You are wise. Of course, you know that the shadow and footmark will go away as long as you sit under the shade. Therefore, you may laugh at the guy who runs and dies from exhaustion of energy. Nevertheless, let’s recall your conducts: you observe benevolence and righteousness; distinguish the difference of people; watch the change between stillness and move; measure the degree of conducts; sort out the feeling of liking or disliking; relieve the extent of joy and anger. So many works that you have done, aim at culture of body, practice and maintaining order. However, social order doesn't see the obvious change for them.

52 On the contrary, since the standard of loyalty, credit, righteousness and benevolence is set up, mean guy has the opportunity to exploit an advantage of law and moral to benefit them.

53 In my opinion, as long as you keep the genuineness of self-nature and stand aloof from the world, you will be successful in real practice. You don’t need to do the tiresome work. Your problem is that you diverge from the right way to seek the outside. Therefore, the result is dim. Even you incur misfortune.”

54 Taking a nod, Confucius finally found his own vices. Genuineness of self-nature that the old man said seems profound. Confucius asked, “What’s the genuineness?”

55 The old fisherman said, “Good faith is genuineness of self-nature. They said good faith is hard enough to pierce stone and gold. Without it, self-nature and great wisdom can’t be raised, and the skill of no-learning can’t emerge. Without it, a mood expression of common people can’t be shown completely, not to mention piercing stone and gold. As you know, the five sons mourned before grave. They don’t have feeling though the voice is loud. A man who pretends to be angry is not fierce though his face looks stern. A man of affectation is not amiable though his face teems with smile. A man who is really sad is seen sad even if he doesn’t cry. A man who is angry really is fierce and awed even if he doesn’t show anger. A man who is really lovely is felt amiable even if he doesn’t smile.

56 Genuineness exists in inner heart and expresses itself through appearance. This is genuineness of self-nature.

57 When it is used to deal with personal relation, it works well. In serving parents, you are filial; in working for king, you are loyal; in drinking you are happy; in funeral you are sad.

58 Main part of serving parents is obedience. The way that you take doesn’t matter. Obedience is the aim of supporting parents. No why and no reason to speak of.

59 Drinking wine aims at joy. Dishes and vessel are unimportant. Thousands of cups are insufficient to bosom friend in drinking. If the companion is wrong and atmosphere is out of place, it is not joyful to use good wine, nice environment and good vessel.

60 Holding a funeral is to express grief while ritual play is least important. People set up the ritual play but grief expressed by genuineness is from self-nature. We should not make so much of ritual play as to impede genuineness of self-nature.

61 Hence, we emphasize expression of nature instead of feeling restricted by worldly regulations. Only fool does reversely—disregarding genuineness of self-nature however, caring about the prolix style and hackneyed rites. You are not earnest in improvement of self-nature, sitting in deep meditation, practice of yoga and cultivating mood of soundness, tranquility and peace. You hustle and bustle with a lot of people in listening Sutra, propagation of Tao, learning of etiquette and studying governance and rejuvenation of state. Thus it is rather difficult for you to seek for genuineness of self-nature.

62 It is pitiful. You have indulged yourself in study of worldly affair since childhood. Until now, you are told to seek for genuineness of self-nature.

63 Pitiful! You are sixty-nine. It is too old to seek now.”

64 Hearing the old fisherman saying so, Confucius hurried to kneel down and kowtow for three times. He looked up and said, “To meet you is heaven-helped. It is never too late to correct my vices. Please let me be your disciple and direct me how to practice. Could you tell me your place? I will visit you later.”

65 The old man said, “Men of practice abide by a regulation that we should stay with the men have the feeling of affinity. So to speak, things of the same kind cluster while sounds of the same frequency harmonize. We may practice genuineness of self-nature with a man who knows that five aggregates are empty and impermanence is suffering and he can break up with, stop and eliminate worldly desire. If he hasn’t the quality and the decision of practicing Tao just because of a spur-of-the moment, prevailing fashion, or being stricken by a certain sad event, then we should not practice with him. Since practice for these reason is of no result, and it might even spoil your mood of soundness, tranquility and peace, both sides wouldn’t be benefited.

66 I suggest you to make more effort in cultivation of soundness, tranquility and peace! If you can do so, with or without teacher’s direction is unnecessary. When the nature of great wisdom arises, it is your teacher. Bye, bye.”

67 The old fisherman peddled the boat to leave bank and head to the reeds.

68 Yan Hui turned the carriage to the back home direction and Zilu handed rein to Confucius. Taking no look at it, Confucius stared at the boat leaving. He didn’t step on carriage until ripples of the stream and sound of the punting disappeared.

69 Zilu beside carriage asked, “I have served you for many years and never seen you treat others with such reverence. Neither king nor marquis has received such salute from you. Sometime you even show loftiness to them. The old fisherman sat there, every time you spoke, you bowed and knelt to him at first. Did you take it too far? We, as disciples, all felt disgraced. Do you think that it is worth paying such reverence to a fisherman?

70 Supported by the bar of carriage, Confucius signed, “Alas! Zilu! You are so stupid. You have studied etiquette and rite for long time however, your vulgar consciousness is residual up to now. Come up! Let me tell you on the carriage.

71 It is disrespect to meet the old without reverence; it is unkindness to meet talents without respect. If the fisherman were not a hermit of perfect practice, I would not show my reverence to him. In other words, my action is because his genuineness of self-nature really reaches the utmost level.

72 Common people receive others’ reverence because the power, wealth, force or threat makes others fear and then producing reverence. Under this condition, the man who receives reverence would be hurt at last. So, a man in his inner heart there is no genuineness of self-nature and from his nature there is no kindness, this deficiency would beget serious result to him.

73 Zilu! You have the vice. You flatter yourself that you are a scholar and intellectual. So you despise fisherman and scholar of other sects. It is wrong! We should not discriminate them. This is the way of genuineness of self-nature.

74 Tao is the source to produce all things. All things survive if got it but die if lose it. If violate it, you fail in dealing; if conform to it, you succeed. Hence, a man of virtue respects the man who masters Tao; no matter whoever is he or whatever is his sect. So to speak, the old fisherman has understood Tao. Dare I not respect him?